


Agony

by LittleSweetCheeks



Category: Madam Secretary
Genre: Family, Friendship, Gen, medical crisis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27037870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSweetCheeks/pseuds/LittleSweetCheeks
Summary: A bigger fic based on a prompt ficlet I wrote a while back.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Agony

Cautiously, Elizabeth placed her hand on Nadine’s shoulder, hoping to rouse her gently if she was asleep. Sluggishly, Nadine’s eyes opened and what Elizabeth suspected was supposed to be a smile came out as a grimace. Elizabeth’s concern only grew. “Are you okay, Nadine?”

“It’s just a headache, Ma’am.”

She frowned. That had been the line Nadine had been giving for three days. It appeared that despite attempting to medicate the pain away, it not only remained, but had been getting worse. All the staff had noticed the way Nadine had seemed to struggle to stay focused. The afternoon before it had appeared like even holding her head up was becoming too much effort and Jay and Blake had vanished downstairs to talk to the front desk. After they had returned the evening before from dinner, in which Nadine didn’t even pretend to eat, the room had a new addition of the wingback chair her Chief of Staff was seated in now.

To Elizabeth, it looked like the chair was now doing all the work of holding the other woman upright.

“Everyone left?”

Elizabeth watched Nadine’s eyes slowly take in the otherwise empty room. “They took their work to Jay’s room.”

“Why?”

“So they wouldn’t disturb you.” Elizabeth tried not to think about the worried looked on her staff’s faces as it appeared that Nadine had fallen asleep during the meeting. It was clear she was still in pain and as a result, they were all distracted. “Blake will be back in a moment, though.” The brought Nadine’s eyes slowly back to her, questioning. “He’s bringing your things to the second room in here and taking his up the hall.” She could see Nadine was going to repeat her last question. “No need for you to walk all that way when you don’t feel well.”

“But making him give up his room, isn’t that a bit much?”

The door softly clicked open. Elizabeth turned to look over her shoulder as Blake appeared with Nadine’s luggage, vanishing into the second bedroom before reappearing and nervously looking them over. She brought her attention back to Nadine who was squinting despite the closed curtains. “No it’s not. It the light painful?”

“No, I um, things were out of focus, maybe I could use a lie down after all.” She conceded, shutting the binder and easing it forward until Elizabeth pulled it away. While her back was turned, Nadine moved to push herself up, swaying dangerously.

The movement of Blake lunging across the room to steady her made Elizabeth twist back around. “We’ve got you.” She reassured as she caught Nadine’s other side.

“Perhaps, um, maybe you should sit and wait.” Blake started, his eyes wide. “I spoke to housekeeping and they were going to send someone to remake the bed with fresh linens.”

“I’m fine.” Nadine brushed off. “I think it was these shoes.” She tried to explain as they eased her back into the chair.

Elizabeth found herself exchanging a look with Blake before a knock sounded on the door. “Go, that’s probably housekeeping.” She assumed as any member of the staff would have been let in by security. “And Blake.” She crossed after him several steps. “Ask for a few extra sets… Just in case?”

A panicked looked passed through his eyes before he nodded and turned away.

Turning back to Nadine, Elizabeth knelt again, looking her over more intently. “It will be only a minute, then you can lie down. Are you sure you don’t want to be taken to be checked out?”

“We leave tomorrow and then have a three-day weekend. I’m sure I’ll be fine by Monday. It’s just a migraine.” Never once did her eyes open as she spoke.

“Have you had migraines before?”

“Occasionally, though never this bad.”

Concerned, Elizabeth rested a hand on Nadine’s where it was on the arm of the chair. After a moment, her eyes cracked open. “You aren’t coming with us today.” Her voice dropped lower. “I can make Matt stay back with you.” She felt guilty offering it, there had clearly been something driving space between the pair lately. “I don’t want you left on your own.” She could see what the answer to that was going to be in the slivers of brown looking back at her. “No Matt then.”

“It’s done.” Blake spoke from the doorway as the housekeeper slipped out again.

Elizabeth nodded. “Is it okay if I take your shoes off before you walk in there, Nadine?” She waited for the eventual nod before holding the shoe as Nadine eased one foot and then the other out. Standing up, she glanced Blake’s way. “Can you help her?”

With a curt nod he rushed forward again, helping Nadine up with even more gentleness that Elizabeth had ever seen him use before. Following behind as she looked around the room, she gathered Nadine’s glasses from the table as well as her shoes as she trailed into the bedroom.

“Blake, could you get a glass of water for her?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Once he was gone, she turned back to Nadine who was seated on the edge of the turned down bed. “Can I do anything to help you be more comfortable? I’ve put your glasses on the table, where is your phone?”

It took a moment for Nadine to process and answer. “It was in the chair with me.”

“Okay. I’ll have Blake get it and plug it in in here. How about jewelry? Your necklace might get tangled in your hair.”

“Hm?”

She frowned and repeated herself. “Do you want me to help you take your necklace off?”

“I can…” Nadine’s fingers fumbled with the clasp several times before Elizabeth stepped in, easing her hands to her lap before undoing the clasp for her. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem.” Blake stepped in with the water just then. “Can you also find her phone in the other room and a charger for it?” It was a habit for all of them now to pack multiple chargers so they were never left short of one. In a case like this, it meant they didn’t need to dig through Nadine’s bag for the one she brought.

“Yes.” He vanished out again only to return a beat later just as Elizabeth was helping Nadine into the bed. He plugged in the phone and then backed away, hovering in the doorway until Elizabeth tugged him out.

“I want you to stay here with her while we all go back for the afternoon.” When he started to object, she put her hand up. “We’ll manage. Jay is more than capable of handling all of the advising and you’re welcome to text them a thousand times to remind them of everything.” She glanced back into the room before moving further away from the door. “I’m really worried. I need this to be your focus before anything else, okay?”

“Okay.”

“She claims it’s just a migraine, those can be brutal. Check on her every half hour or so and trust your judgement if you think you need to try and wake her. Hopefully she’ll sleep.”

“Should I keep on her about something for the pain?”

She frowned. “I’m not sure how much it was helping, but it can’t hurt. I don’t even know when the last time-”

“An hour and forty-five minutes ago.” He cut in.

Elizabeth looked up at him in surprise. “Oh.” Leave it to Blake to notice and then remember something like that. “Well… Pay attention to her symptoms. The few times I’ve gotten one, it’s made my stomach upset.”

“I will look after her and if anything changes, I will let you know.”

She hesitated and then patted his arm. “Thank you, Blake. I know this is not what you-”

“I’m meant to be doing whatever you need me to do, Ma’am. If that’s staying behind for an afternoon, then so be it.”

“Right.” She nodded. “I’m going to go down to the others and see what I’ve missed.”

=MS=

Elizabeth checked her phone at every opportunity all day. While she was in meetings, Matt carried it and each time she stepped out or even looked up, he would reassure her with a look that all was still as well as it had been that morning. When they were finally headed back to the motorcade for the ride back, she took her phone back and dialed. “Talk to me, Blake.”

His voice was soft when he answered. “She’s slept off and on. Occasionally she’s woke up and demanded I at least bring her the binders to read over, but it was so obvious her head hurt. I just… I’ve done my best, Ma’am, and I don’t think she’s any worse really that when you left.”

“But she’s no better either.” She sighed.

“I don’t believe so, no.” She heard him sigh. “Is it normal for something like this to linger this long?”

“No. It’s not. But no other symptoms?”

“No Ma’am.”

“Okay.” She looked out the window of the SUV. “We’re on our way back. I’m not sure what the plan is for dinner.” She twisted around to make eye contact with the other three, who just shrugged. “No one with me is being helpful, so you think of something since you’ve been stuck there all afternoon.”

“Will do, Ma’am.”

When the line disconnected, Elizabeth couldn’t help the heavy sigh.

“I know I’m no doctor, but shouldn’t it be getting better by now?” Jay questioned from beside her.

She chewed her lip. “Nadine doesn’t want to see a doctor over here and we do leave tomorrow.”

“I’ve never even known her to get sick.” Daisy added.

“If she’s coherent enough to refuse going to a hospital, I’m not about to fight with her before we get back to DC.” Elizabeth frowned. “We’ll all just do our best until we get back and then we can take another stab at if it she’s still suffering.”

They all nodded in agreement.

=MS=

Elizabeth looked around the group as she ate. Blake had ultimately decided to order food in, and they were all wedged around the table meant for four, made even tighter by everyone’s insistence on the wingback chair being pulled over as one of the seats. The mood was cheerful, though everyone was speaking in hushed tones. They were all trying to keep up the appearance that nothing was off while every one of them kept casting sideways glances to where Nadine sat not even attempting the simple meal Blake had selected for her.

Eventually the meal ended and Jay, Matt, and Daisy slipped back t their own rooms, leaving Blake cleaning up while she headed for her own room to get changed as well. Nadine had made no move yet to want to return to her own room and she trusted that Blake would keep an eye out. Stepping into her bathroom for privacy, she went through her evening routine as she listened through the walls to Blake moving around.

“Ma’am.” She eventually heard him say, his voice close enough that he must be in her room.

She popped the door open. “Yeah?”

He appeared in the doorway. “Everything is cleaned up and sorted out where it belongs.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m going to go change and then I’ll be back.”

She turned to face him directly. “You don’t have to do that, Blake.”

His gaze moved out into the main room and then back to her. “She seems determined to be awake even though she’s clearly in pain. If she were to fall or something trying to get to her room on her own, I’m not sure you would be able to carry her and I’m just guessing here, but I’m pretty sure having your detail burst in to help won’t help how she feels any.” She could see pleading in his eyes. “I’ll be back.”

“Okay.” She agreed.

=MS=

The following day started with Elizabeth stepping out of her room to find Blake already sitting at the table, a travel mug in his hand. “Did you sleep at all?”

“A bit.” He frowned. “I may have come in a few times just to check on things.” His eyes cut away guiltily. She couldn’t blame him; she’d tossed and turned all night herself. Heading for the coffee and pastries he’d brought in; she patted his shoulder.

“You did good.”

“We have three hours before we have to head downstairs.” He spoke around his own pastry. “Now that you’re up, I’ll head back and bring my things back in here. I’m assuming the others will turn up shortly.”

“Probably.” She couldn’t help her eyes drifting to the other closed door. “I’ll just go check on her before they come in. I doubt she’ll appreciate waking up to all of us out here talking.” As Blake finished his breakfast, Elizabeth wiped her hands and tapped on the bedroom door as she eased it open. “It’s just me, Nadine.” She slipped in and raked her eyes worriedly over her Chief of Staff. It was clear she as still in pain, even in sleep. Chewing her lip, Elizabeth debated before glancing at the red numbers on the provided clock. Carefully, she placed a hand on Nadine’s arm to see if she could rouse her. “Nadine.”

Nadine hummed in response and then, after a moment, opened her eyes.

“I’m sorry. The others will be in here for breakfast soon and I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable if they came in before you were up and ready.” Unfortunately, only her own room had a connected bathroom which meant that this one shared the bathroom across the small hall with the main room. “Is the migraine any better?”

“I’m not sure.” She admitted.

Elizabeth backed away to the door. “Well, I’ll be just out here if you need anything and Blake will be back in a few minutes.” She stepped out again, pulling the door closed. Turning, she found Blake wasn’t back yet and set about making sure things were packed up. Several minutes passed and Nadine stepped out with clothing and what looked like a toiletry bag in her hands. “Good morning.”

Her voice was rough, pained as she replied. “Good morning, Ma’am. I’m going to shower before the others turn up.”

“Okay. Just… please don’t lock the door?” When Nadine shot her a look, she gave a disarming smile. “I’m worried, so sue me.”

She huffed but didn’t reply except to carry on into the bathroom.

=MS=

“Ma’am.”

Elizabeth looked up from the book she was reading at Blake’s soft voice. “Yeah?”

His eyes cut across the plane’s cabin. They were halfway home. “I need you to tell me I’m being neurotic and a little crazy.”

She smirked. “You are always neurotic and a little crazy, Blake. But why this time specifically?”

“I can’t put my finger on what it is specifically, but I think something else is wrong. How she’s moving is off.”

That brought Elizabeth’s eyes to where Nadine was seated. She could see what he meant; something was…off. “Four hours till we’re home, Blake. Not like we can strong arm her to get seen from up here and if you push now, she’ll just get angry and then it’ll be a miserable four hours.”

“Yeah.”

=MS=

Gathering her things, Elizabeth was the last to get off the plane. Jay, Matt, and Daisy were already on the tarmac with the DS agents and Blake was only steps ahead of her, carrying his things plus some of hers and Nadine’s. Though she’d done an admirable job of covering it, Elizabeth was well aware Nadine still didn’t feel well and had plans to force her into going to the hospital as soon as she got to the ground.

Stepping into the opening of the plane, she looked down. Over Blake’s shoulder she could see the back of Nadine’s head and the way her left hand gripped the railing, perhaps tighter than normal. She was just about to start down the stairs herself when it seemed like time stopped. Halfway to the bottom, she watched, frozen, as Nadine swayed dangerously and then crumpled, falling noisily and limply to the bottom. Several voices cried out, she wasn’t sure whether she was one of them or not as she tried to rush to the ground. In her way, Blake opted to dump the bags in his arms over the railing as he braced himself on both hands and nearly slid to the bottom.

“Is she okay?” Elizabeth heard herself cry out as she made it to where everyone was already checking Nadine over. “Is she okay?”

Daisy was the first to back up, then Matt. Getting out of the way of the detail who were checking Nadine over quickly.

“We’ve already radioed for medical, Ma’am.” Frank spoke up as they continued trying to verify anything major being wrong. As her detail, they all had basic medical training, enough to ensure she wouldn’t die getting to a hospital anyway, and it looked like they were doing their best to use it on Nadine now. “She’s breathing and there’s no signs of anything obvious wrong.”

“Okay.” Elizabeth nodded. “Someone needs to go with her. The doctors need to know about her headache.”

“I’ll go.” Both Matt and Blake answered at the same time.

She made an instant decision. “Blake, you ride with them, you’ve been sitting with her more than anyone. We’ll all catch up.” Everyone else nodded as the ambulance pulled up. “Okay.” There was nothing she could do, not right now anyway. She asked the detail to add Nadine’s bags to the back with her own, she’d hold onto them for now. “What hospital?” She asked.

“GW.” One of the paramedics answered.

“I’ll text you the information.” Blake assured before climbing in behind the stretcher.

Anxiously, she stared as the ambulance pulled away, her Chief of Staff in the back.

“Ma’am.” Jay’s voice broke her concentration. “We all talked. There’s no point in going all the way to Foggy Bottom first if we’re all going to just end up at the hospital together.” He put his hand out to start to guide her to the waiting motorcade. “Let’s go.”

“Yeah.” She let him lead her into the back of the waiting SUV.

=MS=

Blake met them all at the door of the ER. “She’s in CT now, should be back in a few minutes. I already secured a private space for us to wait right this way.” He shared, mostly for the benefit of the detail. “Ma’am.” He caught Elizabeth’s attention specifically. “I already pulled her HR file.”

“And?”

“It lists her as no next of kin.”

“It doesn’t list her son or her sister?”

He shook his head. “Not only are they not listed… It specifically states she has no next of kin and she… She hasn’t updated the file since she was working for Secretary Marsh.”

Her sigh was heavy as his meaning sank in. “And she has him listed still.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” The distress was clear on his face.

Just then, a doctor entered the room. “For Nadine Tolliver?”

Elizabeth stepped forward. “Yes. We all are, I’m Elizabeth McCord. Will she be okay?”

He frowned. “The scan shows a significant clot in her brain. It’s what we suspected when the gentleman there told us her symptoms.” He gestured to Blake. “We are prepping her for surgery right now and are taking her up immediately. It hasn’t burst, but it needs immediate attention. It will be a number of hours before we know anything more.” He looked around the group. “Do we have any information on next of kin?”

She frowned. “There’s no one. Anything you need, though, I’ll take care of it.”

He started to object but seemed to think better of it. “I’ll have a nurse keep you updated.”

Once they were alone, everyone began to sag into chairs. “A blood clot.” Jay finally said out loud. “An hour earlier and she could’ve…”

“Died.” Daisy finished.

“We should’ve forced her to get seen.” Matt was frowning to himself. “We should’ve done something.”

Elizabeth reached over and patted his arm. “She’s being seen now.”

=MS=

Elizabeth tried to focus on paperwork. It was mid-morning Monday and despite the constant stream of the staff sitting with Nadine all weekend, she had yet to wake up. It was starting to concern her.

“Ma’am!” Blake rushed through the doorway. “The hospital just called.”

She was instantly on her feet, her heart in her throat. “And?”

“She’s awake.”

She collapsed back into her chair in relief.

“She woke about an hour ago. Doctor has assessed her and says she’ll be fine once she heals.” He pulled open the closet and grabbed her jacket. “I’m clearing your schedule. Come on.”

“But…”

“No. Let’s go.” There was eagerness in his eyes. “I’ve already told the others, they agreed to hold down things here while we go first to see her. Once we get back, they’ll take their turns.”

“But…” She tried again.

This time he stopped right in front of her, jacket held out. “Come on.” He prodded again. “You can debate it while we’re in the car.”

She was still processing as she allowed him to gather her things and herd her downstairs and into the waiting motorcade. Once at the hospital, it was straight up to the room Blake had been told Nadine was moved to. The door was shut, but she could see through the window as a nurse was checking the bandage on the side of her head. “She’s awake.” She spoke softly to herself.

When the nurse finished, they stepped in as she left. “Nadine.” Blake greeted first. “You look so much better than the last time we saw you.”

“I feel better.” She smoothed the blankets over the lower part of her body flat. “I am sorry. For not realizing it was more than a normal headache.”

They were both shaking their heads, but it was Elizabeth who spoke first. “We’re only glad you’re okay. How are you feeling?”

“Banged up and bruised. I was confused when I woke up here, but the doctor filled me in on most of what happened.” Her eyes, bright now that she was pain free, darted between them. “He said I fell.”

“Halfway down the steps coming off the plane.” Blake nodded. “I was right behind you. Security looked you over while we waited for the ambulance. Today was the first day actually that you didn’t have someone sitting with you since you came out of surgery.” He offered her a soft smile. “Matt’s been taking the overnights.”

“Oh.” They could see her processing that.

“You’re on medical leave until you are fully ready to come back.” Elizabeth stepped in. “Given that your job is pretty low impact, I was told you could be released to work fairly quickly so long as you take it easy. I want you to take extra time though. This was a major thing you’ve gone through.”

“But you need me.”

“I do. I would rather wait and know you’re healthy though.” She gave Nadine’s had a squeeze. “I wish you would have let us help you sooner, but now you’re getting it by force. You won’t be alone much from here on out and we’re all only a call away.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.” Her gaze drifted back to Blake when he cleared his throat.

“There’s one other thing.” He raised a finger. “You need to update your medical forms and the next of kin contacts. I won’t- I won’t ask the obvious, but at the least you need to change it to MSec and I.” That made her raise a brow, but he carried on. “And, you know, Matt. Depending on if you’re still pushing him away or not.”

A blush teased at her cheeks. “I’ll get it taken care of.”


End file.
